


And Erin Makes Four

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-08
Updated: 2014-10-08
Packaged: 2018-02-20 08:26:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2421869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I don't need to win anything; I already have your heart. I won the game a long time ago."</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Erin Makes Four

**Author's Note:**

> I lengthened a comment fic where [](http://citymusings.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://citymusings.livejournal.com/)**citymusings** asked for **‘Erin enjoys being Section Chief but sometimes at night all she wants to be held by him. He doesn’t mind at all’**.

She let out a content sigh as Dave stroked her hair. She loved lying with him, on him, it made her happy. In the beginning Erin was afraid it made her weak, letting go of the control, but no one could be on all the time. If she had to be Strauss all the time she might wander into traffic.

She liked Strauss, most of the time. She definitely respected her and sometimes even feared her, but Strauss was not the measure of the whole woman. She was so much more. She was smart, flirty, fun, inquisitive, and full of life. She was madly in love. She was head over heels, madly in love.

"I bet I know what you're thinking." Dave said smiling.

"Dazzle me."

"You're thinking about how awesome I am."

"You're such an egomaniac." She smirked. "How do I put up with you?"

"Because I'm packing heat, remember?"

Erin laughed. She buried her face in his side and laughed. Dave loved the way the vibrations tickled him.

"You are so..."

"What? I'm so what? Am I wrong?"

"You are pretty awesome, I have to say. I could never love someone as much as I love you if he didn't keep me on my toes."

"How do I do that?" Dave asked. He was shifting them on the bed, preparing to have his way with her.

"Magic I think."

"I'm the magic man.” He sang.

Erin smiled, kissing him. Dave was just as perceptive as she believed him to be. He knew from her soft kisses that she just wanted to be held tonight.

There was time for the passion, romance, and even the crazy stuff. Tonight was just about the two of them. It was just about heartbeats and breathing and the solace of being in the arms of the ones you love.

"I love you Erin." He whispered, once again holding her against him.

"I love you more."

"I bet you don't."

"I do, I do, I do."

"We're going to bicker about it?" Dave asked.

"No, it’s just a statement of fact. How about you just agree with me for once and surrender that insatiable need to win?"

"I don't need to win anything; I already have your heart. I won the game a long time ago."

“Yeah.” She was quiet for a while, just cuddling close and relishing the security of being in Dave’s arms and listening to his heartbeat. He stroked her back and Erin breathed in time with the feeling of his fingers on her skin. She felt herself falling, the delicious embrace of sleep opening its arms ready to take her in.

“Erin?”

“Hmm.”

When she snuggled against him it made Dave smile. He loved holding her, feeling her naked body against his. This is when she was pure, just Erin. Nothing was between them except the sweet smell of her skin. There was no Rossi, there was no Strauss…there was just this bliss.

It boggled his mind that it was reality as well as fantasy. All four of those people existed. Even though only two were in the room at the moment, it didn’t mean the other two didn’t need to do what they did. A balancing act was going on for some time now and usually Dave excelled at it.

He could separate the two, had pretty much been doing it for decades. He watched her struggle with it and usually succeed. Some nights she didn’t quite make it but he loved her anyway. He loved them both; he couldn’t help himself.

“We’ve been doing this thing now for a little over two years.” He said.

“What thing?”

“Our thing.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“I love you madly.”

“I love you too, David.” She looked up at him, her blue eyes drowsy but the smile enough to light the dim room. “I never thought…”

“What?”

“I was someone else for a really long time. I can't say I'm not that person anymore but…when I'm with you I'm different. For one, I seem to be less articulate.”

Dave laughed some, kissing her.

“No baby, you're doing just fine. I'm different with you too. So often I keep personal and professional separate; I don’t have to do that with you. I mean, we both do it to a point but it’s nice to be with someone who doesn’t shy away or fear what I do.”

“We’ve both given so much to the FBI.” Erin said. “It’s nice to get something in return. I can't exactly cuddle with a gold watch or a corner office.”

“Your office is sweet though. Luckily I was never the corner office type.”

“You're exactly what I need in my life right now.”

“Just right now?” Dave asked.

“I've apparently needed you for the past two years as well. Has it really been that long? We haven’t been doing things like celebrating anniversaries or anything. I can't believe how fast time goes by. It doesn’t feel as if it’s been that long.”

“It has been.” He whispered as he nuzzled her temple. No, they hadn't marked special dates or given meaning to insignificant things as lovers sometimes did. That didn’t mean Dave hadn't been memorizing moments in his mind. He knew she’d done the same, even if the amount of time seemed surprising.

“I have to admit that I never thought it was going to last. I knew how you made me feel, I knew how I hoped I made you feel, but...we didn’t work the first time.”

“We were young, baby. We learned from our mistakes.”

“What did we learn?” Erin asked.

“When something is good, even when it’s complicated or difficult or unbelievable, we can still hold onto it and make it successful. I know how your divorce affected you.”

“If I was still married I wouldn’t be lying with you right now. Well…”

“Hey now, I don’t cavort with married women. Unless we’re talking about my wife; I would cavort with her all day.”

“How many are you up to now, David?” she tried but failed not to let the laughter creep into her voice.

“Let’s just say the third time wasn’t the charm. But the fourth might be.”

“I can't believe you still have faith in marriage.”

“I honestly don’t know if I do. I have faith in love though. I'm always gonna have faith in that. Maybe it’s an Italian thing. When you give up on love, you may as well pack it all in. I’ll never give up on you or my feelings for you.”

“What are you saying?”

“I've said it. I love you. You make me happy, I feel stable, and despite so many victories over so many years I can't say I've felt this way in a long time.”

“I make you happy.” Erin was smiling again.

“I’d like to think I make you feel the same way.” His hand ran over her hip. He loved her skin beneath his fingers. Over the years Dave committed every inch to memory.

“Mmm, definitely. C'mon, love, we have to get some sleep…a long day awaits tomorrow. You promised me eight hours of sleep and I think we may have talked some of it away. We’ll chat in the morning. Close your eyes.”

Dave smiled, doing what she said. She kissed him and then turned so they were spooning. Dave opened his eyes again, holding her close as he inhaled the scent of her skin. There was more he wanted to say but Erin was right. He had promised her a full night’s rest.

This was especially important since he had a habit of waking her up early in the morning to have his way with her. Not that she ever complained; Erin Strauss was one of the few morning people he knew. Considering the things she sometimes did to him in those wonderful moments before the sun came over the horizon, he never wanted that to change. But dirty sexy times with his girlfriend weren't the only thing on SSA Rossi’s mind. It had really been two years, over two years, and they were happy.

They didn’t like talking about the future, afraid of what thoughts and feelings that kind of talk would bring. But it looked like the future snuck up on them anyway. Dave didn’t know how much longer she would be happy living in sin. He didn’t know how much longer he would be. Marriage was a scary thought…had kept him up more nights than he cared to think about right now.

He didn’t want to lose her though. He didn’t want to keep living apart, her life in one place and his in another. He didn’t want Erin’s slightly Victorian sensibilities to get the better of her and force her to make a decision she thought he would oppose. Why he couldn’t just say all that, Dave had no idea. He wasn’t a ‘beat around the bush’ kind of guy but every time he tried, he clammed up.

“Marry me.” He whispered in her ear when he was sure Erin was asleep.

She smiled, stroking the arm that held her around her waist. She thought he’d never ask. How long would she have to pretend that she hadn't heard him?

***

  



End file.
